Dinner in Penn Quarter(-ish) Tomorrow with Client - Need Advice

[Keithstg]

Hi All,

Hoping for some advice on a client dinner tomorrow evening - around 8pm, Penn Quarter and the general environs. Client is great, into food, and the only requirement is that the place allow denim (I'd leave out Corduroy because of this, but perhaps the bar? - Ditto Kinship). Price unimportant.

Current thoughts are either DBGB, Central, Proof, Del Campo, or Pennsylvania 6 (although that's further afield). All have availability. What's best right now?

Thanks in advance! Have been dining in Boston and the Middleburg area more than DC lately, so feel a bit out of the loop.

[Rieux]

The food at DBGB has been excellent the last two times I have been there. That said, it can be really loud. If you go, ask for a booth upstairs. They seem to be quieter. If they will only give you a table downstairs, don't go. 

[DonRocks]

On 11/1/2016 at 4:08 PM, Keithstg said:

Hi All,

Hoping for some advice on a client dinner tomorrow evening - around 8pm, Penn Quarter and the general environs. Client is great, into food, and the only requirement is that the place allow denim (I'd leave out Corduroy because of this, but perhaps the bar? - Ditto Kinship). Price unimportant.

Current thoughts are either DBGB, Central, Proof, Del Campo, or Pennsylvania 6 (although that's further afield). All have availability. What's best right now?

Thanks in advance! Have been dining in Boston and the Middleburg area more than DC lately, so feel a bit out of the loop.

I wish I'd seen this before now - I understand why you wrote me, and wish I'd known it was for Wednesday night, as I would have gotten back to you with something more definitive.

I assume you no longer need help - where did you end up and how was it? DBGB, by the way, is a good suggestion - maybe not as quiet as you'd like, but you could do a whole lot worse.

[Keithstg]

Thanks Don (and Rieux). We ended up at Corduroy, and then the Columbia Room for drinks.

I had a great meal at Corduroy - some thoughts (been going there since the 4 points).

Cauliflower soup was fantastic, but that's to be expected given how well Tom Power does with soups. Ditto lamb loin with creamed spinach. Perfectly cooked/ seasoned, but nothing groundbreaking. Wine list continues to be very solid and very reasonable.

Service was a struggle. Waited at least five minutes at the front door to be shown to the table (we did look around for someone, but stopped short of walking back to the kitchen window). Minor other snafus - no bread service, then bread dumped on the table about halfway through our mains, impossible to discern who our server was, as every course was brought by someone different - wine glasses not topped up. Additionally, the room is beginning to look a bit tired (not dated) - stains on chairs, frayed napkins, etc.

Columbia room was fantastic. Sat in the library, had two fantastic cocktails. Wonderful atmosphere. Was a bit sad to walk by the ghost of Rogue 24 though.

[DonRocks]

5 minutes ago, Keithstg said:

Service was a struggle. Waited at least five minutes at the front door to be shown to the table (we did look around for someone, but stopped short of walking back to the kitchen window). Minor other snafus - no bread service, then bread dumped on the table about halfway through our mains, impossible to discern who our server was, as every course was brought by someone different - wine glasses not topped up. Additionally, the room is beginning to look a bit tired (not dated) - stains on chairs, frayed napkins, etc.

Columbia room was fantastic. Sat in the library, had two fantastic cocktails. Wonderful atmosphere. Was a bit sad to walk by the ghost of Rogue 24 though.

Yes, I feel that way every time I go to The Dabney.

Tom Power will read this thread, and will be very interested in taking corrective action - do you have any more detail for him? (Granted, you gave plenty of detail; I'm asking for more than the norm here.)

[Keithstg]

On 11/4/2016 at 11:32 AM, DonRocks said:

Yes, I feel that way every time I go to The Dabney.

Tom Power will read this thread, and will be very interested in taking corrective action - do you have any more detail for him? (Granted, you gave plenty of detail; I'm asking for more than the norm here.)

Ok, sure.

Wait when we arrived: Nobody was at the host stand. Looked up the stairs toward the bar, then into the dining room. Saw some tables, heard some noise from bar. Milled around a bit, figuring someone would be on the way shortly - ended up walking back toward the open kitchen and running into someone I recognized as a long-time employee - he may now be the manager. We were then checked in and led to our table.

Service during meal: Our server came over, introduced herself, took drink orders. We ordered meal and wine from her - never to see her again. Wine, appetizers and entrees were all brought by different personnel. No big deal in and of itself, but I feel that the pacing was off as a result - and hence the late arrival of bread.

Tiredness of room: Large stain on the chair facing me, at about a seated diner's shoulder height. Frayed napkins, including the napkin covering the bread, which was honestly horribly torn. Stains on carpet, etc. Wood paneling still looks wonderful - colors in the dining room are muted and artwork is nice. IMO could simply use a thorough cleaning on the pieces seeing the heaviest use/ wear.

Don, I provided the additional detail because you asked for it, but please don't think I enjoyed my food any less, or would hesitate for a second to go back. I remain a huge fan of Tom Power's cooking and this restaurant.

[DonRocks]

4 hours ago, Keithstg said:

Don, I provided the additional detail because you asked for it, but please don't think I enjoyed my food any less, or would hesitate for a second to go back. I remain a huge fan of Tom Power's cooking and this restaurant.

Tom already read your response and thanked me for it - he said it was very useful; I'll make sure I draw his attention to this one, too.